Academic Programs

Early Childhood/Elementary Teacher Certification Program. The School of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences offer a five-year teacher certification program in early childhood education or elementary education. Students in earn a bachelor’s degree in four-years and a master’s of education degree at the end of a fifth year. This teacher certification program provides the arts and sciences major with in-depth study in an academic discipline concurrently with a professional education sequence which begins in the freshmen year. Students interested in the early childhood teacher education program may apply to the School of Education Human Development five-year teacher education program in early childhood. Students interested in either early childhood or elementary teacher education may elect to apply to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences declaring a major in English, Mathematics, Afro-American Studies, or History. At registration, they must also declare their intent to become an early childhood or elementary school teacher. These students follow the major area requirements as well as teacher certification requirements and are advised in their major area as well as in the School of Education, Department of Curriculum and Instruction. At the end of the Sophomore year, students in the five-year program must take the PRAXIS I examination and apply for entrance into the professional sequence of courses for teacher education. Applications can be obtained from the Coordinator of Undergraduate Education in the School of Education.

Upon completion of the undergraduate degree, the student applies for admission to the graduate program in early childhood education or elementary education for the fifth year. This culminating year consists of methods and the student teaching internship. Students must meet the 2.7 minimum GPA admission criteria for graduate school to continue in the program.

Professional Sequence. The professional component includes the following courses: ELEM-001; ELEM-020; ELEM-025 (taken concurrently with ELEM-020); ELEM-039; ELEM-110; ELEM-126; ELEM-130; ELEM-138; ELEM-142; ELEM-143; ELEM-144; ELEM-145; ELEM-146; ELEM-147; ELEM-148; and ELEM-149, ARTH-060, MUTP-008; MUTP-010, PHED-121. Early childhood education courses include ECED-160, ECED-191, ECED-192, ECED-193, ECED-200, ECED-278. In addition students take the following 12 hours of graduate credit courses in their senior year: EDUC-262; EDUC-288; HUDE-221; HUDE-205.

A minimum grade of B must be earned in all teaching methods courses. Courses in which a lower grade is received must be repeated. The Introduction to Teaching course, methods courses, and student teaching must be taken at Howard University.

Special Testing Requirement

The Praxis Series is required for graduation and teacher certification at the early childhood and elementary education levels. Information concerning dates, places of administration, and fees may be obtained from Director of Teacher Education.

Secondary Education Sequence. A professional sequence in secondary education is offered leading to teacher certification for grades 7 through 12. This program is available to students with selected majors in other units of the University and with the approval of the Director of Teacher Education. Students must apply to the Department of Curriculum and Instruction for entrance into the professional sequence by the end of their sophomore year and have taken the PRAXIS I examination. In addition, they must have a 2.7 GPA to register for student teaching.

Professional Sequence. Persons who desire to be certified as teachers on the secondary level must complete the following professional sequence: Education SEED-001, SEED-005 or SEED-029, SEED-039, SEED-110, SEED-150 or ELEM-153, and SEED-160. In addition, courses in the methodology of the major are required (SEED 190 series), or methods courses in the departments of art, music, physical education along with SEED-135. All professional courses except SEED-160 must be completed prior to student teaching.

Students accepted for student teaching must have a major in one of the following approved areas: Afro-American studies, with a minor in history, physics or mathematics; zoology or drama, with a minor in English; history, mathematics, physical education; physics, with a minor in chemistry, or mathematics; Romance Languages or speech pathology; with a minor in mathematics, chemistry, or physics.

Additional requirements for admission to student teaching include a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.3; a minimum average of 2.7 in the major field; and a minimum average of 2.7 in education courses. Professional education courses in which a grade below C is earned must be repeated.

A formal application for student teaching must be submitted to the office of the Director of Teacher Education during the semester before the expected enrollment. Applications may be obtained from the Coordinator of Student Services or the Coordinator of Field Services.

Academic Minor. Academic minors in the general field of education, in special education, and in early childhood education are available for students majoring in any discipline who seek to prepare for adult and citizen roles by developing an understanding of the school system, of educational policies, of human development patterns, and of the learning process. These programs do not lead to teacher certification.

Bachelor of Science in Human Development. Students enrolled in human development may select majors leading to the Bachelor of Science degree from four options: (1) infancy and early childhood programming; (2) child and adolescent development; (3) adult development and gerontology and (4) early childhood five year teacher education certification program. Applicants for the human development curricula should have completed in high school, one year of science beyond general science, and one year of mathematics beyond general or business mathematics.

Special Degree Requirements

All majors in the department must complete (COMP-001). Two semesters of statistics are also required (PSYC-063 and 064 or SOCI-110 and -111, or ECON-180 and -181). Following are the individual options with their major course requirements.

All options:

HUDE-095, HUDE-113, HUDE-114, HUDE-120, HUDE-141, HUDE-148, HUDE-149, HUDE-150, HUDE-169, MDAN-168, MPHY-102, BIOL-070

Child and Adolescent Development:

HUDE-118, HUDE-119, HUDE-HUDE, HUDE-147, HUDE-158, and POLS-010 or 011

Adult Development and Gerontology:

Consumer Science -173, NUTR-187, 183-154, ANTH-160 and POLS-010 or 011

Infancy and Early Childhood Programming:

ECED-160, HUDE-119, ECED-191, HUDE-118,HUDE-HUDE, ECED-192, ECED-193.

Human Development Minor

Human Development and Family Relationships HUDE-095 and at least twelve additional hours of Human Development courses selected in consultation with a Human Development faculty advisor.

For information pertaining to graduate programs, see the Graduate Program Bulletin.